Brazil Presidential Election 2026: Lula da Silva Wins Fourth Term as President

Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva has won the Brazil presidential election 2026. In the run-off held on Sunday, 25 October 2026, the left-wing leader beat his right-wing rival Flávio Bolsonaro and won a fourth term as Brazil’s president.

Who is Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva?

Lula is a former metalworker and the most dominant face of Brazil’s left. He first ran for president in 1989. He served two terms from January 2003 to December 2010, then returned to office in January 2023. This is his fourth presidential election win, and his new term begins on 5 January 2027.

Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva Defeated Flávio Bolsonaro

Brazil’s Superior Electoral Court said Lula got 51.79% of the votes, while Bolsonaro got 48.21%. Bolsonaro had actually won the first round on 4 October, so few expected Lula to turn things around in just three weeks. Street demonstrations and a big social media push helped his campaign recover.

Flávio Bolsonaro refuses to concede

Bolsonaro hasn’t accepted the result. He called the two-hour extension of polling “inexplicable” and said he would seek the annulment of the election. Yet both campaigns had asked for polling stations to stay open longer.

A rare win in Latin America

Voters across the region have recently turned to the right. Argentina, Chile and Colombia all have conservative leaders now. Brazil, with 213 million people, is the only big South American country not run by a right-wing leader.

About the Brazil Presidential Election 2026

The result shows a deeply divided country, since over 48% of voters backed Bolsonaro. Lula will also have to work with the most right-wing Congress of Brazil’s democratic era. Bolsonaro’s Liberal Party (PL) made the biggest gains in the elections.